The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-02-19
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1887
Vetoed by the President.

President Cleveland on Friday of last week
vetoed the Dependent Pension Bill, or as it
is commonly called, ''The Pauper Pension
Bill" The bill originated among the Repub-
licans, and passed both houses with little or
no opposition, and without any discussion at
all in the Senate. 1t was part of the scheme
on the part of the Republicans to deplete the
treasury and to thwart the Democratic pur
pose of reducing war taxes. The lduddble()
object of this scheme is partisan advantage
solely. If the Republicans can accomplish
their purpose, they will then go before the
country in the fall campaign and charge
against Democratic Administration that it
has bankrupted the treasury and failed to full
FL the party's promises to the country. They
will charge extravaganza and wastefulness,
broken pledges and incompetency.
President Cleveland is to be congratulated
on his courageous course in interposing his
veto. His message has received the cordial
endorsement of the conservative element of
the country, and also the endorsement of
very many ex-soldiers everywhere. Many
Congressman, too, who voted for the measure
without giving it proper thought, or who, for
reasons of expediency and for fear of impair
ing their political prospects, voted for it, are
also quietly rejoicing over the veto.
The President based his veto on the ground
that the bill was entirely unnecessary, am
biguous in terms and would give rise to diff
culties in its administration. The bill pro-
posed to pension every individual who was in
the service of the government during the late
war for q period of ninety days, who is now
suffering from any disease orin6rmity, whether
contracted in the service or not, and includes
men who never went to the front or even left
the place Of rendezvous.
In his veto message the President gives
some interesting statistics, showing that, I'M
der the numerous laws, SCI, SIC pensions have
been granted from 1861 to June 1886, and
more than 1000 pensioners have been added
to the rolls by private acts passed to meet
cases, many of them of questionable merit,
which general laws did not cover. The Pres
ident might have added that our pensioners
are more numerous than the standing army
of great Britain, or the army of Austria
Hungary, and nearly as large as the regular
army of Germany. If the Dependent bill had
become law the number of pensioners would
have increased TO about S65, 900, and the an
nual expenditure for pensions alone would
have been about S147, 100000. Asitis, $751;
DOC, 900 are required annually to pay pensions,
and up to last July the total amount paid out
for pensions on account Of the late war reach
ed the enormous sum of $8OS, 624, S11.51.
Following is short extract from the Presi-
dents veto message:
So far as it relates to the soldiers of the late
civil war, the bounty it affords them is given
thirteen years earlier than it has been fur.
nished to the soldiers of any other war, and
before large majority of its benehciarless
have advanced in age beyond the strength and
vigor fthe prime of life. .
1t exacts only military or naval service OF
three months, without any requirement OF